ENDEMIC 8 DAYS CRUISE GALAPAGOS ITINERARY A

DAY 1 - Arrival to Baltra Island Airport

Sunday: AM: Arrival to Baltra Island Airport, reception and transfer to the yacht for the first visit.

Sunday: PM visit: Cerro Dragón/Dragon Hill, Santa Cruz Island. Some say the rocky hill got its name because it’s shaped like a dragon, others say it’s because there are so many land iguanas along the trail. Either way, Dragon Hill is a fun hike along a dusty trail winding through cacti and Palo Santo trees. Look for birds, including flycatchers, warblers and flamingos and pintail ducks in the salty lagoons. This visit is followed by the opportunity to snorkel offshore.

DAY 2 - Genovesa Island

Monday: AM visit: Bahía Darwin/Darwin Bay, Genovesa (Tower) Island. The long-eroded remnants of a prehistoric volcanic crater, Genovesa Island has a distinctive crescent shape. A memorable visitor site on the bay leads through some mangroves and past many nesting birds including Red-footed and Nazca Boobys, Frigate Birds, gulls and more. From February to June, the Frigate Birds inflate their bright red throat pouches. Look for stingrays trapped in tidal pools at low tide. Following the visit, our guests will have the opportunity to snorkel, kayak or take a panga ride around the tranquil bay. Snorkelers sometimes see Hammerhead sharks!

Monday: PM Visit: El Barranco/Prince Philip’s Steps, Genovesa (Tower) Island. Across Darwin Bay from the morning visitor site, Prince Philip’s Steps is a spectacular site for bird lovers. After a brief clamber up a rocky bluff, visitors emerge onto a plateau where they can see the elusive Short-eared Owl: this site is one of the only places in Galapagos where these birds are commonly seen. Look for Red-footed and Nazca Boobys, storm petrels and Tropic Birds. The visit is followed by the chance to do some more snorkelling or kayaking in the bay.

DAY 3 - Santa Cruz island

Tuesday: AM Visit: Los Gemelos/The Twins, Santa Cruz Island. The “twins” of the leafy highlands of Santa Cruz island are two sinkholes created long ago by underground lava tunnels which collapsed. A shady trail covers the short distance between the main road and the two sinkholes. Your guides will explain about the special forest found in and around the sinkholes: it is home to many Scalesia pedunculate trees, endemic to Galapagos. The Twins visitor site is a good place to see finches, Vermilion Flycatchers and mockingbirds.

Tuesday: PM Visit: Bahía Sullivan/Sullivan Bay, Santiago Island. Sullivan Bay features a sandy shore surrounded by lava fields. The lava is relatively recent, being only about 100 years old. Guides will point out the hardy “pioneer” plants: specialised flora which is the first to colonise a lava field. After a hike, guests will enjoy a refreshing swim with the chance to do some snorkelling!

DAY 4 - Isabela and Fernandina Islands

Wednesday: AM Visit: Chico Volcano/Sierra Negra, Isabela Island. Sierra Negra (“Black Mountain”) Volcano was active as recently as 2005 and it is possible to see very recent lava flows and fumaroles. The visit includes the main volcanic caldera and several smaller craters at the Chico Volcano site. There are not many animals in the barren heights of the volcano, but hikers are rewarded with an unforgettable lesson in volcanic geology and a great view of Isabela and Fernandina Islands!

Wednesday: AM Visit: Humedales/Wetlands, Isabela Island. Isabela Island’s wetlands are home to abundant bird life, including flamingos, stilts, whimbrels, gallinules, finches, Pintail Ducks, Brown Pelicans and more. Marine iguanas creep through the marshes as well, and an occasional giant tortoise makes an appearance. Part of the trail goes up Orchilla hill, which offers a nice view of the nearby town of Puerto Villamil.

Wednesday: PM Visit: Muro de las lágrimas/The Wall of Tears, Isabela Island. The Wall of Tears is a wide, high stone wall built not far from Puerto Villamil. A visit to the Wall of Tears offers a rare glimpse into the human history of the Galapagos; Isabela Island was once home to an Ecuadorian penal colony, and construction of the Wall of Tears was a form of punishment. Some locals think it’s haunted!

Wednesday: PM visit: Centro de Crianza Arnaldo Tupiza /Arnaldo Tupiza Breeding Center, Isabela Island. The Arnaldo Tupiza Breeding center is a highlight of any visit to Isabela Island. Here, giant tortoises of the Isabela Island subspecies are hatched and cared for until they can survive on their own in the wild. Hundreds of adorable baby tortoises lumber about in raised pens, designed to protect them from predators including rats and ants. Even the walk to get to the breeding centre from town is fun, as it is connected to Puerto Villamil by a boardwalk over some marshy wetlands where sightings of flamingos and other water birds are common.

DAY 5 - Isabela Island

Thursday: AM Visit: Bahía Elizabeth/Elizabeth Bay, Isabela Island. Elizabeth Bay and the small, rocky islets which are found there are home to many spectacular species of Galapagos bird life, including penguins, the Galapagos Hawk, Nazca Boobys, finches, flightless cormorants, warblers and more. In the clear sea below, visitors will see thriving marine life, including schools of fish, Spotted Eagle Rays, sea lions and marine iguanas. Elizabeth Bay is only seen by panga ride: visitors will not land at all.

Thursday: PM Visit: Bahía Urbina/Urbina Bay, Isabela Island. In 1954, volcanic activity deep underground rocked Isabela Island, thrusting up part of Urbina Bay. The bay’s landscape changed overnight, gaining five meters in height and a kilometer of soggy land that had previously been underwater. Visitors can still see desiccated coral formations on the trail around part of the bay. Urbina Bay is home to abundant wildlife, including land iguanas, giant tortoises and lava lizards. Bird life includes finches, hawks and mockingbirds. The hike, a relatively long one at 3000 meters, is followed by a refreshing swim or some snorkelling in the bay.

DAY 6 - Fernandina Island

Friday: AM visit: Caleta Tagus/Tagus Cove, Isabela Island. A visit to Tagus cove includes a short hike to a scenic outlook and a panga ride along the coastline to look for penguins. After the hike, guests may choose to do some kayaking and snorkeling, where they are almost certain to see sea turtles.

Friday: PM visit: Punta Espinoza/Espinoza Point, Fernandina Island. Punta Espinoza is one of the most remarkable visitor sites in all of Galapagos. This memorable hike includes good wildlife watching as well as geology and many spectacular spots for taking photos. Guests will walk over recent (geologically speaking) lava flows, see a nesting colony of Flightless Cormorants, and step gingerly through a low maze of marine iguanas sunning themselves. Look for lava lizards, Galapagos snakes and Galapagos Hawks.

DAY 7 - Rabida Island

Saturday: AM Visit: Playa Espumilla/Espumilla Beach, Santiago (James) Island. Playa Espumilla (“Foamy Beach”) is a pristine sandy beach on the northern part of Santiago Island. At either end of the beach, trails lead through some mangroves to a salty lagoon, where lucky visitors may get to see flamingoes, Pintail Ducks, stilts or other wading birds. There is good snorkelling and kayaking off the beach.

Saturday: AM Visit: Caleta Bucanero/Buccaneer Cove, Santiago (James) Island. The islands are so beautiful that it’s possible to forget about their interesting human history. Although there is nothing left of their presence (no buried treasure – sorry!), pirates and whalers used to stop in Buccaneer Cove to repair their ships, take on fresh water and capture tortoises for food. There is no trail here, but it is a good spot for a panga ride, snorkelling, and kayaking. As the panga cruises along the shore, look for Blue-footed and Nazca Boobys, fur seals, sea lions, and Galapagos Hawks soaring overhead.

Saturday: PM Visit: Rabida Island. Rabida is a remarkable island, famous for its cactus groves and scenic rock formations. Finches and other small land birds are commonly seen flitting around the cacti alongside the trails. The hike starts along a red sand beach where Brown Pelicans nest in mangroves. Short trails lead from the beach to some lagoons where flamingos are sometimes seen. After the hike, visitors can cool off with a swim or some snorkelling. Lucky snorkelers and kayakers will see fish, sea lions and turtles.

DAY 8 - Santa Cruz Island

Sunday: AM Visit: Caleta Tortuga Negra/Black Turtle Cove, Santa Cruz Island. Black Turtle Cove is a lagoon on Santa Cruz Island. It is a maze of mangroves, and pangas are forced to paddle so that their motors do not disturb the wildlife there. You never know what you’ll see in Black Turtle Cove: there might be sharks, sea turtles, herons or even a school of Golden Rays gently gliding through the water. There is no swimming or snorkeling permitted in Black Turtle Cove.

Sunday: PM: Transfer from the yacht to Baltra Island Airport.

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